There is great interest in replacing petroleum-based chemicals with bio-derived feedstocks, thereby producing “green” products. Such products may take advantage of renewable resources, as well as decrease manufacturing reliance on petrochemicals. Examples of green products may include inks and adhesives, including, as an example, a soy-protein based formaldehyde-free plywood adhesive. However, green products, in general, are not well represented in the adhesives or coatings markets.
Large-scale manufacturing of bio-derived feedstocks requires a significant market size to justify the development of biofuel processing facilities. The combined adhesives and packaging industry is third behind textiles and cosmetics. Therefore, the development of bio-derived adhesives could greatly expand the market need for producers of bio-derived feedstocks, such as C5 and C6 sugars.
It is therefore desirable to develop adhesive materials based on C5 and/or C6 sugars to permit increased market penetration for biofuel manufacturers.